Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: Saleen Windstar (Seriously!)]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/01/ebay-find-of-the-day-saleen-windstar-seriously/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/01/ebay-find-of-the-day-saleen-windstar-seriously/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/01/ebay-find-of-the-day-saleen-windstar-seriously/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above for image gallery of the Saleen Ford Windstar

Outrageous minivans are oddities of the train wreck variety. You don't want to, but you just gotta look. And we're suckers for them. Not that long ago we had the ridiculously fast, jet-powered Dodge Caravan, and then there was the show but stock slow Mugen Honda Odyssey.

But what do you think of a Saleen-built Ford Windstar? And, no, it's not a soccer mom special that someone slapped a Saleen windshield header on. This is the real deal. It's got custom-made carbon fiber mirrors, valve covers and steering wheel. The double-nostril hood is custom-made as is the gauge cluster and the fender flares over the Z-rated 18-inch Rikens. Underhood is a Saleen supercharger atop the Ford V6. The eBay auction says more than $100,000 was spent on the monster minivan's production.

So who in their right mind would spend that kind of cash on something originally meant to sit idle in front of daycare facilities? Two words: Tool Time. As in Tim "Tool Time" Allen. Tim teamed up with Steve Saleen several years ago to produce the Saleen Windstar. Just as this prototype was finished, however, Ford redesigned the Windstar and all plans to offer the package for sale were scrapped.

Luckily the van wasn't, and lately has been used as a promotional tool for Port-A-Board, a company that makes collapsible skateboards. It was founded by Brett Gregory, who is a producer of Tim Allen's upcoming movie. And since the Saleen Windstar is still in the family, the winning bidder will get a photo of Tim and the van together can choose to have a photo session with their new vehicle and Tim Allen himself. After six bids, the auction is up to $3,650 without hitting the reserve. You've got six days. Thanks for the tip, Joe.

Gallery: eBay find: Tim Allen's Saleen Windstar


[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Saleen Windstar (Seriously!) originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Even after recalling 10 million vehicles over the past few years, Ford just can't seem to shake the cruise control blues. There have been 130 reports of fires in 1998-2003 Ford Windstars, both during use and while parked, and the NHTSA is looking into the matter to determine if a recall is needed. The fires may be due to the Windstar's cruise control system, but Ford says this unit is different from the system that caused the 10 million-unit recall because it isn't powered at all times, and it doesn't pose a risk. If the Windstars are recalled, over 1.7 million minivans will be affected.

[Source: Autoweek]

Ford subject of another fire investigation originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 May 2008 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cruise controlCruiseControlFordminivannhtsaRecallWindstarWed, 21 May 2008 08:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Ford S-Max spotted in L.A.; headed to the States?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/01/ford-s-max-spotted-in-l-a-headed-to-the-states/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/01/ford-s-max-spotted-in-l-a-headed-to-the-states/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/01/ford-s-max-spotted-in-l-a-headed-to-the-states/#commentsFiled under: ,



Alert Autoblog reader, Ku Kim, spotted an odd-looking van in Los Angeles traffic. With his always-handy mobile phone, he snapped a couple of pictures of Ford's new S-Max.

But wait, you say, that's not supposed to be here! You're right. The S-Max is Ford's middle-tier European minivan, uh sorry, MPV. (The C-Max is positioned below it, while the Galaxy is the big MPV above it in the heirarchy.)

Could this lone, white S-Max prowling California streets be validation of our January import prediction? With its 5+2 seating, sportier feel and modern lines, the S-Max might be able to carve some sales out of the MPV segment here, but will have stiff competition from the increasingly more CUVs offered by almost every carmaker, including Ford.

Hopefully, this really is an indication of Ford's intention to bring its (at least perceived) superior European offerings across the pond.

Then again, it could be nothing more than a photo shoot in trendy L.A.

Thanks for the tip and photos, Ku Kim!

Ford S-Max spotted in L.A.; headed to the States? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Aug 2007 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american s-maxAmericanS-maxford minivanford s-maxFordMinivanFordS-maxs-maxunited states s-maxUnitedStatesS-maxwindstarWed, 01 Aug 2007 09:33:00 EST<![CDATA[All in a Name: No end to the free advice for Ford, no need to rechange names]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/06/all-in-a-name-no-end-to-the-free-advice-for-ford-no-need-to-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/06/all-in-a-name-no-end-to-the-free-advice-for-ford-no-need-to-r/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/06/all-in-a-name-no-end-to-the-free-advice-for-ford-no-need-to-r/#commentsFiled under: ,

Click the image above for the Autoblog Five-Hundred gallery

In the news, at the water cooler, and in your favorite auto magagine, there is no shortage of advice for Ford Motor Company. Advice for new engines, better marketing, and rear drive architectures come flowing in at all angles. Most of the advice seems to center around the need to balance design, safety, horsepower, and business realities to make vehicles that you and I will want to buy. But vehicle names? A recent Detroit Free Press article is one of many that seems to think name recognition is perhaps more vital than it really is. As we reported today, it looks like Ford is listening to the calls for the recasting of the Taurus name, after all. In the end, do we really care what the vehicle is called? We probably care a lot more about what the vehicle can do and how it looks.

When Allan Mulally took over at Ford, he found himself wondering why the company would spend hundreds of millions of dollars over 20 years to build the Taurus name only to drop it because it didn't start with an F. The Five Hundred very well could have been the Taurus from the start, but it wasn't. Lets be honest, the Taurus wasn't the Taurus for almost half its lifespan. We loved it, then we liked it, then finally, we rented it. The product was stale. The name got stale too, mostly because it became synonymous with Hertz, so Ford decided to drop it.

Keep reading for more thoughts on what's in a name.

[Source: Detroit Free Press]

Continue reading All in a Name: No end to the free advice for Ford, no need to rechange names

All in a Name: No end to the free advice for Ford, no need to rechange names originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Feb 2007 14:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Five HundredFiveHundredFordFord vehicleFordVehicleFreestarFreestyleFusionWindstarTue, 06 Feb 2007 14:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Lights out: Production ends for Ford Freestar]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/03/lights-out-production-ends-for-ford-freestar/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/03/lights-out-production-ends-for-ford-freestar/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/03/lights-out-production-ends-for-ford-freestar/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Thank God it's over. Goodbye Freestar, you won't be missed. Ford has turned out its last head-gasket-consuming, transmission-torturing, flaccid minivan. It was a good try twelve years ago when it debuted as the Windstar, but time has not been kind to Ford's efforts. Moreover, Ford was not kind to the Freestar, letting it die on the vine while the competition became ever more competent. The Oakville, Ontario plant will continue to build cars, keeping all its employees busy with Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX production.The only folks that will even notice the unavailability of the Freestar (act fast, there's about 2,500 left) are fleet customers, with whom Ford will work to substitute other FoMoCo vehicles. Seems like a win-win-win: a tired horse is put out to pasture, the blue-collar folks kept their jobs and the fleet customers who lose out will be made whole.

[Source: Automotive News]

Lights out: Production ends for Ford Freestar originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Jan 2007 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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